


An Unexpected Alignment

by memorydd



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, and akashi knows all and sees all, but yeah midokuro hohoho, this turned out to be more like pre-slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 05:10:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3434771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memorydd/pseuds/memorydd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Midorima Shintarou  does not expect such a reoccurring encounter. But the wheels of fate are turning and Akashi moves his shogi piece.</p><blockquote>
  <p>“I apologize for the surprise,” the stranger finally speaks, his voice monotone. “It does tend to happen often.” Shintarou’s face must have shown his confusion. “The scare I mean,” the man elaborates. “It’s a common thing for people not to notice me.”</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	An Unexpected Alignment

**Author's Note:**

> written as a birthday present for a friend and also for the rarepair battle on the basketballpoetsociety on tumblr.

The first time Midorima Shintarou sees him is when…he doesn’t actually sees him.

The meeting is as strange as it sounds, and it is on a Sunday afternoon, in which being freed from hospital and clinical hours, Shintarou finds himself at his usual café of choice with a freshly picked off the shelf novel in his hands. The café or coffee shop is small and is tucked away at the corner of a small street. The only reason he found out about it is because Takao—a true alley cat or perhaps a sharp-eyed hawk who seems to know almost every nook and cranny there is to know about the city—was the one who recommended it to him by commenting how well brewed the coffee there is. It isn’t often that Shinatrou agrees with Takao, but this time he does.

And so his Sundays usually goes like this: after finishing a light lunch, he takes a stroll through town, picks up a new novel if he has already finished his last one, is immediately greeted by the warm bitter-sweet aroma of coffee as he enters the café, takes his usual seat beside the window furthest to the right at the back of the shop, orders his usual black coffee, and opens his book to start reading as he sips his drink in intervals with satisfaction. This continues uninterrupted until it is near dinner time in which he closes his book with a thud and leaves just as alone as he came in. Although, one may argue that he isn’t alone as there is always a stuffed penguin or a wooden owl or some other strange lucky item with him. He seems to always have some form of good company that way.

However, today is different. Today is different because when Shintarou—eyes not leaving his book for even a second because it would be a sin to break this beautifully flowing description of the narrator’s feeling for the sea—reaches out to take a sip of his black coffee, his fingers touch cold plastic instead.

 He glances up from his book to see a cold drink of sorts that he thinks is probably vanilla milkshake placed on the table in front of him. Frowning, he is about to call the waitress over to question how she could have possibly mixed up black coffee with vanilla milkshake—especially when it is the order of a regular—when a hand reaches out to clasp around the drink.

Shintarou’s eyes follows the hand along with the drink over to the other end of the glass table and eventually up to meet the face of a  man about his age who takes a sip of the cold drink, looking absolutely unaware that he has just given Shintarou a miniature heart attack.

There is a moment of silence as Shintarou stares into blue owlish eyes, not moving a single muscle as he tries to recover from the shock of someone appearing out of thin air. But people can’t just appear out of nowhere; it is scientifically impossible, and so the only plausible explanation is that he either didn’t see the stranger who was already sitting here in the first place or it was the stranger who had positioned himself at this table even though Shintarou was already sitting here.

Shinatarou’s eyes narrows slightly as he scrutinizes the man in front of him; he is over a whole head shorter than him, with pale skin and matching powered blue hair and eyes (may he comment on those eyes because they are rather creepy—blank but deep, they seem to stare into his soul) and dressed in a plain white collared shirt and black fitted pants. Shintarou can only describe the stranger as being the exact definition of plain and simple.

“I apologize for the surprise,” the stranger finally speaks, his voice monotone. “It does tend to happen often.” Shintarou’s face must have shown his confusion. “The scare I mean,” the man elaborates. “It’s a common thing for people not to notice me.”

Shintarou nods in understanding, even though he doesn’t really understand, but decides not to question anything further. “It is quite alright,” he says. “I too must apologize for not seeing you earlier.”

“Like I said, it happens often, so it’s fine,” the stranger says. He then takes a sip of his drink and stands up. “Anyways, I’ll be going now, so feel free to continue sitting here.”

Shintarou dips his head as a thanks and salutation as the man turns around and leaves the café.

His black coffee arrives as the door closes and Shintarou adds in a packet of sugar before bringing it to his lips. As the strong bitter-sweet taste washes over his taste buds, he indulges in it, allowing his mind to slip from the strange happening just now and into his own world.

And so his Sunday continues as normal.

 

\------------------------------

 

The second time Shintarou sees him is about two weeks later when he makes a stop at the local bookstore to pick up a copy of a new book, which he had made a reservation for.

It on a Tuesday afternoon before his evening clinical hours when the smell of newly unpacked books greets him. He steps to the side to avoid the cardboard boxes of books that the worker is currently unpacking and placing them on the correct shelves.

He makes his way to the counter and asks for the book he reserved, stating his name. As the man behind the counter moves to check his name on the computer, a voice speaks up from behind him.

“Hello. We meet again.”

Shintarou jolts and is glad that he isn’t holding anything in his hands at the moment (luckily his lucky item is a blue scarf wrapped around his neck) because he certainly would have dropped it.

He spins his head to the side and finds himself being annoyed, surprised, as well as slightly amused at the same time when he meets those light blue eyes from two weeks prior.

 _‘You again’_ , he wants to say, but as it is rude, he settles for a simple, “Good afternoon.”

The clerk, who had probably left the counter while Shintarou was in shock, comes walking back with a red and black book in hand.

“You like the author?” the man suddenly asks as Shintarou makes his payment.

“Yes, I do. The author’s descriptions are very elaborate and poetic. She delves into the psychological aspects of her characters and portrays them with stunning realism. Her use of symbolism is also beautifully and intelligently placed. Despite the morbidity of her works, there is a certain beauty and appeal to them.” 

“I share the same opinions,” the man says and Shintarou thinks that he spots a faint smile breaking through that blank disposition.

Shintarou moves away from the counter to let the man have his turn. “It is always a pleasant surprise to meet someone who shares the same taste in books.” That is indeed true. There aren’t many people he knows who is an avid reader in their spare time and even fewer who like the same authors or books he does.

“Indeed.” The man nods before turning his attention to the clerk. “I have also reserved a copy of Takasuki Sen’s new book. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya.”

And Shintarou finally knows the name of this man—this man who has crossed his paths twice and who even shares a similar interest as him.

“Excuse me.”

Kuroko looks up at him after putting his money on the money tray. “Yes?”

“What is your star sign?”

Kuroko blinks. Despite the unchanging expression, that one action tells him that Kuroko is surprised. It is something that he is rather used to because this man isn’t the first person who he poses the question on out of the blue.

“Aquarius.”

The corners of Shintarou’s mouth drops a bit. An Aquarius…

“Is there something wrong?” Kuroko asks.

Shintarou pushes his glasses up his nose. “No, it is nothing. I am afraid that I must take my leave now. Have a good afternoon.”

He dips his head in a curt bow before leaving the store.

Oha Asa didn’t say anything specific about having to be aware of Aquarius or the like. However, Shintarou does find it strange that he would run into someone who bears the star sign opposite from him twice. And it is the same person no less.

It may have been an innocent coincidence and people may laugh at him for thinking too much into it because they have met only twice, but he can’t help but wonder if fate has something planned.

Fate has a funny way of playing out after all, and sometimes in the form of unexpected coincidences.

 

\------------------------------

 

The third time Shintarou sees him is when after receiving an onslaught of messages from Takao about having lunch with him, he finally caves due to agitation and agrees.

It is on a Thursday that Shintarou walks into Maji Burger at fifteen past noon with a Daruma doll in hand, eyes scanning the restaurant for the hyperactive police officer. He doesn’t really need to because Takao notices him first, loudly shouting, “Shin-chan, over here!” from across the room.

Shintarou already feels tired and he’s barely halfway done with the day.    

He places his order—a plain water and a teriyaki burger—and heads over to the table.

There’s another uniformed man sitting across from Takao, Aomine Daiki, a fellow police officer at the same station. Shintarou has only met the tanned skin man on two other occasions, both of which were really brief and nothing else was exchanged aside from a curt and nonchalant greeting. Both of them don’t care much for the other and Shintarou would rather keep things at the level of acquaintances based on stories that Takao have told him. Despite being a very capable officer when it comes to chasing down criminals and drawing them out into the open, Aomine is brash, hotheaded, and reckless—a Rottweiler at the end of the leash, eager to chase and brutally drag down its victim, the type who enjoys the adrenaline rush that comes with a dangerous job.

But when he’s not on the job, the man looks bored out of his mind with eyes absence of any spark and body language that screams lazy with each movement. He barely gives Shintarou a glance as he stuffs his face with a burger from his large pile of at least ten (how can someone eat so much?), letting out a halfhearted, “Yo.”

“Good afternoon,” Shintarou replies out of formality, taking a seat next to Takao. 

He looks up and stops breathing for a second. A familiar blue haired man was sitting across from him next to Aomine.

Why and since when was Kuroko here?

“Hello. We seem to run into each other often,” Kuroko remarks.

“Wait, you two know each other?” Takao asks, voice rising in surprise.

 Even Aomine gives them a curious look.

“We ran into each other twice before on accident,” Shintarou explains. He returns the same question to Takao, “How do you know him?” Takao is a blabber mouth who talks about pretty much everything that’s going in his life as if Shintarou wants to know all the interesting events he has to share each day from the bank robbers he caught to the oranges he received from the elderly woman next door, yet he doesn't remember hearing him talk about a 'Kuroko Tetsuya' before.

“The three of us played basketball for our respective schools while you were head deep in studies, you doctor-wannabe,” Takao says, taking a bite out of his burger. “Wait, Shin-chan, I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned Kuroko to you before. Remember when I said that there’s this guy who pulls out invisible passes on the court like a phantom?”

Shintarou doesn’t say anything for a moment as he unwraps his burger. “Maybe.”

“Shin-chan, forgetting about someone is mean!”

“Takao, I have lots of things on my mind every day. It is impossible to remember everything you’ve told me.”

“It is quite alright. There is no reason for Midorima-san to remember about someone he has never met,” Kuroko interjects in his defense. “Though, I must say that it is a pleasure to finally meet you, Midorima-san. Takao-kun always mentions you when we talk.”

“Would it be rude to ask what he has said about me?”

“He said that he has a quirky, strange as hell, and forever single friend who spends too much money on lucky items when it should be used to treat his best friend to a fancy meal.”

Despite him expecting such an answer, Shintarou feels a vein bulging on his right temple anyways and shoots Takao a glare.

“H-Hey, that’s not all I said!” Takao frantically shouts in self-defense.

“That’s right. Takao-kun also said that despite his oddness, Midorima-san is a respectable man—diligent and reliable, he puts all of his efforts into what he does and cares more than he lets on.” 

The unexpected compliments makes Shintarou instinctively adjust his glasses to hide the growing small feeling of embarrassment.  

“In other words, according to Takao-kun, a Tsundere.”

The fingers on the rims of his glasses freeze at Kuroko’s words, and he gives Takao, who is shaking from trying to hold in laughter, another glare. “I am not Tsundere.”

“Pfftt. Yeah, sure you’re not Shin-chan, ahahaha!” The laughter breaks free, and Shintarou tries to ignore it (he has learned over the years that there is no way to mute Takao’s laughter) and takes a large bite out of his burger instead.

The door swings open loudly with fast footsteps following.

“Sorry, I’m late!”

The newcomer approaches their table and Shintarou can’t help but quirk an eyebrow in surprise when he sees who it is.

Those blond locks, bright golden eyes, a face that even girls would be jealous of—clear smooth skin, long lashes and perfectly trimmed eyebrows—dressed in the latest designer clothes along with a charismatic aura can’t go being missed by anyone. Shintarou may not be well informed of the entertainment industry, but it’s hard not to be familiar with a face that he has seen practically every single day for the past number of years on advertisements, billboards, magazine covers, movie posters, and T.V commercials.

The big star in the Japanese entertainment world: Kise Ryouta.

“Oi, Kise, you’re late,” Aomine, who has been doing nothing but listening in silence and stuffing his face with food, speaks up in an annoyed tone of voice.

“Sorry, sorry!” Kise apologizes. “Some complications came up during the photo shoot so it took longer than expected.” He pushes past Aomine and plops down in between Aomine and Kuroko.

“Kurokocchi, why haven’t you been replying to my texts?” he suddenly wails (Shintarou’s eye twitches), waving his phone around.

“Kise-kun, I don’t see the need to respond to what you have for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. The messages would be quite repetitive.”

The lack of sympathy in his voice earns a point from Shintarou who has just discovered that someone even more loud and annoying than Takao existed. The vibe he gets from Kise on T.V is definitely that of a cheerful and energetic person, but seeing him in real life takes what he sees on T.V and amplifies it by ten times. For a man in his late twenties, he acts like a child.  

“Kurokocchi is so mean!” Kise cries, tears in his eyes as he rubs his head against Kuroko’s shoulders, who just sits there unresponsive.

The over dramatic action makes Shintarou question on how much of the Kise that is shown to public is of the real Kise Ryouta. Everyone has a social persona after all and for someone such as Kise who is always in the eye of the public, he has a mask to put on and a script to play more than anyone. 

“Kise, you’re being annoying!” Aomine shouts, kicking the crying man below the table and earning a yelp.

Kise pouts. “That hurts, Aominecchi!”

Takao laughs, clearly enjoying all of this. “Don’t make him jealous, Kise!”

Kise looks at Takao and a moment later his face lights up upon realization. “You’re right, Takaocchi!” He turns back to Aomine and attempts to hug him with an “I’m sorry Aominecchi!”, but gets shoved in the face instead.

“I’m not jealous!”

The scene playing out is chaotic and Shintarou questions why he is even here.

“You’ll get used to it,” Kuroko says as if reading his mind. “It’s noisy, but later you will find that it’s also warm.” A small smile graces that stoic face. “It’s the same for you and Takao-kun isn’t it?”

Shintarou sighs, but eventually nods in agreement. “Though, it is something that I don’t quite understand myself at times.”

 Kuroko takes a sip of his drink, and Shintarou’s memory of a few weeks back makes him guess that it is vanilla milkshake.

“Sometimes, people who are the most different from us fill in what we didn’t know we lacked.” A small smile spreads, and Shintarou can’t help but think that there is acertain wisdom in those words, one that he didn’t really expect from this person. “Perhaps so,” is all that he says on that.

“But Takaocchi, Aominecchi, Kurokocchi…?” he moves on and finally decides to question the odd nicknames.

“Oh that. Kise likes to add ‘-cchi’ at the end of people’s names he respects,” Takao suddenly pips in to explains.

“…I see.” No, he does not. “And what have you done to earn his respect?”

“Shin-chan, how come your opinion of me is so low?” Takao fakes a hurt look. “We played basketball against each other in high school, and I was obviously an awesome player.”

Shintarou doesn’t say anything against the smirk on Takao’s face because he has watched Takao’s matches before back in high school. He has to admit that his friend was indeed a talented player. He suspects that Aomine and Kuroko had earned Kise’s respect from basketball as well, even if the latter doesn’t look an athlete at all.

“So Takaocchi, who’s this? A friend of yours?” Kise, who apparently notices Shintarou at long last, questions.

Takao nodded. “Yeah, this is Shin-chan, my buddy from high school.”

“Midorima Shintarou,” he introduces himself properly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too!” Kise flashes a smile and offers a handshake, which Shintarou takes.

“Anyways, Kurokocchi, follow me outside for a minute will you?” Kise suddenly says, his attention slipping away from Shintarou just as quick as it finds him. And to be honest, Shintarou doesn’t quite mind this.

“Is it on what we talked about yesterday?” Kuroko asks.

Kise vigorously nods.

“Alright then.”

The two gets up and leaves the restaurant. Shintarou watches as they stop outside and start chatting a few steps away from the door.

“Didn’t expect those two to be friends, huh?” Takao says, taking the finishing sip of his soft drink.

“I didn’t,” Shintarou admits. “They are very different.” The silent simple one and the boisterous flashy one. He supposes that they balance each other out, but he doesn’t think someone as plain as Kuroko can hold Kise’s flighty attention for long.

“Kise can be friends with just about anyone regardless of personality as long as he thinks they are worthwhile,” Aomine speaks up. He has already inhumanly finished his pile of burgers. “As for Tetsu…he’s just special, I guess. I don’t know how else to put it.”

“Tetsu?” Shintarou can’t help but repeat the nickname because it means that Aomine and Kuroko are close as well, and that is another shock to him.

“Aomine and Kuroko have been friends since middle school,” Takao fills in the gap for him.

“Is that so?” That is…rather unexpected.

 “That guy is a strange one. Came up from behind me like a ghost and scared the shit out of me one evening. A lot of things have happened since then...” He trails off, lost in nostalgia as he stares out to where his two friends are. “But there is one thing that I have to say. For such a little guy, he’s stronger than anyone I’ve ever known. I owe him a lot.”

Aomine’s words are cryptic with an underlying message that an outsider like Shintarou can never understand. However, what he can understand is the look in the man’s eyes.

 There’s a soft fondness in those dark eyes and at the same time, also a look of unwavering respect.

 What is it about Kuroko Tetsuya that makes a difficult man like Aomine Daiki and a shining celebrity such as Kise Ryouta hold him in high regards?

Shintarou doesn’t understand.

And he finds himself wanting to.

 

\------------------------------

 

The fourth time Shintarou sees him is when he and Akashi Seijuuro meet up for dinner.

It is rare for him to meet up with his childhood friend ever since they have graduated from university because of busy schedules, but they discover that they are both free one Friday evening one week after Shintarou’s lunch at Maji Burger, and so he ends up arriving at the district of Ginza at ten minutes until six.

The restaurant that Akashi chose is extravagant to say the least—bright lights reflecting off clear wine glass, pure white table sheets, flashes of diamonds and crystals from female customers, soft classical music in the background—and Shintarou has to dig out one of his best suits for the occasion, but is to be expected from a man of high class.  The owner of the place is a friend of the Akashi family and thus, the dinner tonight is specially arranged on Akashi’s request.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Akashi,” Shintarou says, as the waiter moves from their table after filling their glasses with red wine.

“Thank you, Midorima,” Akashi accepts his words with a smile as they lift their glasses in a celebratory gesture.

The wine is of fine quality and Shintarou takes a small moment to indulge in it. “You two seem very suitable for each other.”

 He has seen the images on the front of newspapers and articles: “Akashi Seijuuro, Heir to Akashi Corporation Engaged”. For such a high profiled person, the news did not go unnoticed, and he has heard distraught girls talking about how sad they were that the man who was named the most eligible bachelor in Japan for three years straight before news of his committed relationship is now moving on to the next step. 

“I believe that I’ve picked the best for both myself and her.”

Even though his words can be interpreted in different ways—ways that may suggest a hidden agenda to this relationship—Shintarou knows Akashi well, and so he knows that the softening of those sharp scarlet eyes for a brief moment tells of his friend’s honest feelings.

“As you would,” Shintarou agrees. “Akashi Seijuuro would not settle for something less than the best.”

Those thin lips press into a smile of mutual agreement and amusement.

“What about you, Midorima? You’ll be turning twenty-seven in three months time. Surely your parents must be worrying about why their only son hasn’t found a partner yet.”

Shintarou adjusts his glasses. He should have expected the tables on the topic to turn. “Yes, I don’t deny that they have mentioned the topic a few times over the phone and also during my last visit to their place.” He doesn’t find their words annoying as he knows that they mean well, but relationships of the sort are far from being his upmost priorities.

“It is only natural for them to worry,” Akashi comments. “I understand though; these things take time. Especially for you.”

There’s a slight emphasis on that last line, and he finds comfort yet at the same time, a disturbance knowing that Akashi sees through him so well.

“Be open to new opportunities,” his friend goes on, and Shintarou listens because whether it is in middle school or thirteen years later down the line as they are sitting in a high-end restaurant as adults, Akashi is always worth listening to.

A small smile emerges. “Who knows. The wheels of fate may already be turning”

Those words are unexpected and Shintarou isn’t sure what to make of them. “It is not like you to talk of fate.”

The smile doesn’t leave Akashi’s face as he goes on, leaving the invisible question mark from Shinatrou’s statement hanging in the air, “Then let’s talk more about you, Midorima. What do you have on your mind lately?”

It is a statement and not a question, and because it is such that Shintarou knows there is no point in avoiding anything. “I have had…a number of unexpected encounters lately. All are with the exact same person.”

Akashi doesn’t say anything, but his eyes urge Shintarou to say more. “We share the same tastes in books and both know Takao. He is a rather peculiar person, but shockingly quite normal at the same time…No, rather, it is his plainness that makes him stand out as being strange—an odd combination that attracts people who appears to be on the opposite side of spectrum.”

“But?”

Shintarou thinks that he has already gotten used to Akashi’s uncanny ability to read in between and ahead of lines, but no he really hasn’t. “But, I am slightly put off by the fact that he is an Aquarius. Cancers and Aquarius do not go well with each other.”

“It almost sounds like the opposite for me.”

Shintarou can’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“An odd combination that attracts people who appears to be on the opposite side of the spectrum,” Akashi quotes.

“Putting it that way, in your context of things, isn’t quite correct.”

“So are you saying that you and him are actually quite similar then?”

Shintarou is muted. He glances away for a moment to collect his thoughts, but he is caught off guard by the movement out of the corner of his eyes.

Their table is seated next to the large glass window, and outside he sees the familiar light shade of blue walking past a meter or two from the restaurant.

Kuroko doesn’t notice him, but his mouth is gaping slightly at the unexpected sight. His eyes follow the figure for ten seconds at most before the sound of the waiter bringing their food interrupts him, and so he turns his attention back to the table as the dishes are being laid out.

The topic isn’t discussed any further, but there is a look in Akashi’s eyes that Shintarou knows very well.

It is the same look as when Akashi starts to arrange the shogi pieces on the game board.

 

\------------------------------

It is Sunday evening when Shintarou receives a knock on his door. It startles him since he usually doesn’t get any visitors during this time. He closes the television as the international news segment of the evening news program begins, approaches the door and peers through the door viewer.

He sees pastel blue and does a double take.

How?

With a hundred questions flying through his mind, Shintarou opens the door.

Kuroko’s eyes widen slightly and his lips part in a gape, telling Shintarou that he did not expect him. But if Kuroko didn’t come to specifically see him then why is he here?

“Midorima-san?”

“Kuroko…What are you doing here?” Shintarou decides to cut to the chase because things are getting more and more ridiculous as the days go on. First he sees this man nearly two months ago at the coffee shop he frequents and for the fifth time that he sees him, Kuroko is now standing in front of his place. What can possibly explain this?

“I just moved in next door.”

Shintarou goes still due to the surprise caused by the unexpected answer. “You just moved in…?” he repeats, still trying to wrap his mind around those words.

Kuroko nods. “Yes, that’s right. However, I did not expect Midorima-san to be my new neighbor.”

What Kuroko says pokes at something in Shintarou’s mind and he has a suddenly inkling, a feeling, that a certain something or someone has been at work.

“Kuroko…How did you find this place?” he asks.

“I was looking for a place closer to the school I teach at and a friend recommended this place to me.”

“…Your friend wouldn’t happen to be Akashi Seijuuro, would it?”

Kuroko’s eyes widen again, confirming his thought, and Shintarou feels the need to sigh and press his hand against his head in exasperation and annoyance.

“Yes, it is…You know Akashi-kun?”

“We’ve been friends since middle school.” And since middle school, Akashi was always the one pulling the strings in the background for everyone, including him. Sometimes with him knowing and sometimes without. Shintarou used to have a silly thought once on if Akashi somehow has fate under his control. However, even if it may seem that way, Akashi is only human and at the end it is always fate who makes the final play.

“The person who he used to play shogi with often?”

Shintarou nods. “That would be me.”

“I see.” Kuroko’s statement is short, but then he suddenly starts again with a tiny jolt as if just remembering something. He lifts up a paper bag. “Ah, this is for you. It isn’t much but please accept it.”

“Thank you,” Shintarou says, taking the bag from him. A quick peek inside tells him that it’s tea leaves, which is quite convenient since he is about to run out soon.

Is it really just a coincidence? He can’t help but think that.

_Is this man a mere coincidence?_

Or perhaps a play by fate made to look like one?

Kuroko bows. “May I be in your care.”

Shintarou reflects the action. “Same.” He straightens up and thinks for a second before saying, “Would you like to come in?”

Kuroko blinks. “Is that alright?”

“I’m not busy at the moment.” That is the truth. He usually prefers to just spend his Sunday evening alone in the quietness and comfort of his room doing whatever pleases him before the start of another hectic week of work. However, it seems that this Sunday evening will have to break the routine. Cancer is in first place today—a foreshadowing of good things to come. So far the day has been a smooth one with no bumps in the road, but nothing better than the ordinary. That is why he doesn’t think that this person’s appearance is something bad. Is he skeptical? Yes. But…

_“Be open to new opportunities.”_

The statement isn’t anything new, but having it come from Akashi just a few weeks prior makes it different.

“And Takasuki Sen’s new book,” he continues. “I’m assuming that you’ve already finished it, but we haven’t talked about it yet. I’ve been meaning to discuss it with someone else.”

Kuroko doesn’t say or do anything. However, a smile then slowly spreads across his face. “Then I must apologize for the intrusion.”  

“Not at all,” Shintarou says and lets him in.

As the door shuts behind him, he remembers:

Aquarius is in second place today right next to Cancer.

Coincidence again?

Or just another turn of the wheel of fate?

**Author's Note:**

> i may or may not write a sequel to this. one with uh...more fluff? lol. idk, we'll see.


End file.
